in their hands that both themselves and others may be built up in our most holy faith to the perfecting thy Church and the eternal glory of thy name thereby through our Lord and Saviour Christ Jesus Amen Chap. VIII Of the true manner of sanctifying the Lords day Sect. 1. Generally before I go to Church NOw as to my Closet duties upon this day least the sole consideration of them should breed any neglect forgetfulness or disturbance of the duties to be performed in the family and in the publick assembly it will be most expedient to consider the whole duties of that day both publick private and secret and set down each in their natural order First then as upon no day we suppose our Christian to be slothfull so least of all upon the Lords day but to be up in a convenient season both himself and if any are under his charge to see that they are so to A convenient season I call that which every mans health and occasions being considered will agree therewith and leave time sufficient for the discharge of the duties of the day And supposing the publick service to begin generally about nine of the clock between six and seven will be a good hour and all things being well ordered may consist very well with most mens health and occasions And of this time which passeth between my rising and going to Church if an hour and the odd parts be divided between the devotions of the family and the closet so that half an hour be spent in the one and the other half with the odd time in my closet it may do very well and the common occasions of most houses being considered so much time may be allowed If so much cannot be afforded to this work yet let some and what day soever I spend with double prayers I mean prayer in my closet and prayer in my family yet this day let me omit neither It is a bad omen to begin the sanctification of the Lords day by the breach of my ordinary course of devotion and an argument it is likely to be but negligently sanctified by me Besides many in my family may perhaps make no other preparation for the worship of God than what they make by joyning in the family-devotions it will be therefore the more necessary to make sure of thus much Sect. 2. Of secret devotion in the Closet before going to Church NOw my private devotions will be for the main the same this day as others Only in my Meditations it is to be remembred that I examine my self touching my preparations for the solemn worship of God that day and if any thing in my preparatory devotion be wanting any sin unconfessed unrepented of c. in these my morning devotions let that be done And how compleat soever I may conceive my preparations to have been yet let me not in my prayers in private that morning forget to send up some petitions for preparing and assisting grace to the end I may more spiritually go through the duties of the day for the doing of which I cannot Chap. 7. now want directions after a preparatory prayer already considered upon And these my closet devotions it will be necessary be first performed for that they will very well fit me to perform my devotions in my family with more fervency Sect. 3. Of Private devotion in the family before going to Church A digression touching what our devotion in the family is alwaies to consist of THese therefore being done and it being now somewhat above half an hour till the time we usually go to Church I am to call all my family except in extraordinary cases of sickness c. together to prayer at which time all of them who that day can go to Church which should be as many as may be should appeare dressed as they are to go that so after the family devotions performed within a very short space we might all together resort to the publick place of Gods worship Now if question be made what the devotions of the family are to consist of the answer is they cannot well consist of more or less than these two parts Reading and Prayer By Reading here I understand chiefly the reading of the Word of God and that it is the duty of the head of the family either himself to read or cause by some other to be read the holy Scriptures in the hearing of the family none can question who considers those frequent Commands to the ancient people of God to teach their children the Law of God and his judgments and dealings Deut. 4. 9. c. with them Now how they can be taught those things by their parents from whom they never hear of them cannot be understood nor will any reasonable person think thefe commands fulfilled by the meer teaching their children the Belief Lords prayer and ten Commandements though this must be most sure to be done for we find of old they were to acquaint their children of Gods wonderful works in delivering them out of the Land of Egypt And in like manner we Christians to teach our children Gods Miracles of grace in freeing us by his Son out of the bondage of sin which how it can be better done than as God hath thought fit to teach it to the world to wit by the Holy Scriptures none will easily find out Now for the method to be observed in reading the Scriptures in our family that which was above commended for use in the Closet may haply be most proper And if I so order it that I read the same portion of Scripture in my family and in my closet it may be much for my edification the double reading it will set it deeper both in my memory and in my understanding But then least I read faster and more in my family than in my closet and for other reasons it will be necessary that either my Closet devotions go before my Family devotions or that at least I so contrive my readings that what I last read in my Closet I the next time read in my Family Instead of Meditation which was one part of my Closet devotion if in my family I use to examine my people what they have learnt or observed out of what hath been read and where none takes notice of what is mainly observable there suggest it to them it may not be amiss provided it be done soberly without a long deal of prate and medling with curious matters and without vain-glory The Prayers which I use in my family except upon some very eminent occasions may best be the Prayers of the Church These are easie and best understandable and the use of them in our families will sit the plainest people in our family to use them with more devotion and understanding in the publick Notwithstanding I confess my judgment in this case to be that the Injunction of them doth not in strictness reach to private families but there is a liberty leâ—st
about my business remembring not onely how displeasing it is to God but how unprofitable to my self to draw near unto him with my body onely and honour him with my lips when my soul is afar off Whatsoever I hear of the Word read or preached I must remember all along to apply unto my self not carping at or censuring the Preacher but taking all in the best sense Possibly it may be long of my sins he did no better or so ill nor looking so much how it concerns others as my own particular state and manners And if there be any thing which more nearly toucheth and concerneth me that let me be sure by some means or other to keep or set home upon my memory perhaps there may be some place of Scripture cited to confirm explain or illustrate it let me note that place and the being able to find it may in case I am forgetful bring the matter to my remembrance The exercises of divine worship being all ended I am with the same reverence to depart the Church with which I entred it not rudely hastily and disorderly as the common manner of the multitude is courteously saluting any of my neighbours which I have occasion to salute and that with inward love and good will remembring that the ancient Christians had such an usage at their Assemblies as the Kiss of Charity it is but Christian therefore for me to use a charitable and chearful Salutation of any of my Christian neighbours Sect. 6. Of due behaviour between the Moruing and Evening Service My return with my family home should be with the same gravity and care with which was my passage to the Church my talk rather of what I heard or learnt than of any worldly matter except necessary occasions enforce the contrary And being come home one of my first businesses should be to step aside into my Closet if possibly I can and there according as I have found my my self affected to apply my self unto God If I have been awakened to any duty raised to any hopes of Gods favour strengthened in any of my holy resolutions informed of any thing touching which I was ignorant or the like there briefly to bless God for it if I have been dull and improfitable there to bewail it both which may be done after this or some such sort I Bless thee O Lord my God for the comforts of thy House for thy awakenings of me to my duty for any softenings of my heart and sense of thy love or hopes of injoying thee hereafter Not unto me O Lord not unto me who am a vain hard-hearted sinful wretch of my self but to thy holy Name be the praise Now encrease I beseech thee this thy goodness to me and confirm me in thy Grace evermore Let me grow in the knowledge fear and love of thee and any impressions thereof which I have this day received suffer me not to loose but enable me to bring forth fruit unto perfection to the glory of thy Name through Jesus Christ my blessed Lord and Mediatour Amen If this prayer may not suit with my condition it may be presumed that as I have knowledge enough to see it doth not so I have abilities enough in some tolerable way to represent and bewail before God my barrenness heedlesness worldliness carnality and whatever other great distempers I find in my soul which accordingly I ought briefly to do And this being done let me recollect my self and view over in my mind those severals which I have that day learned or been affected with for this will further imprint them upon my memory Less than a quarter of an hour may suffice hereto and though haply sometimes I may see occasion to allow more yet so much sure I may afford at all times Having thus fastened upon my spirit my spiritual gains I now depart to my company for the necessary refreshment of my body which this day was not appointed to abridge me of Let me therefore be chearful and eating my meat in singleness of heart rejoyce before my God but let not my joy by any means be wanton idle vain or intemperate Of the rest of the time which passeth between the publick duties of the day the imployment ought to be sacred at least wholesome and such which may not indispose me for the remaining part of the daies work and hereof much care is to be had First As to my discourse touching which if it be the Apostles Precept at all times to be observed that our speech be alway with grace seasoned Col. 4. 6. with salt certainly more specially ought it to be such on this day And though it cannot be accounted absolutely sinful to converse about secular matters of concernment if occasion so require yet 1. To be wholly taken up with these cannot but argue a greater care of this world than sense of Christianity if so be there be any truth in that speech of him who is infallible Out of the abundance of the heart the Mat. 74. 34. mouth speaketh And 2. To be needlesly meddling with such affairs or idly busying our selves about other mens actions and concernes which are the ordinary subject of mens discourses after dinner on the Lords day is at the best but a mixture of worldliness and vanity and it is made the character of naughty men that their tongues walk through Psal 73. the earth Secondly As to my actions care too is to be taken It is not questionless unlawful upon due occasion that is on account of mine own or others necessity or considerable conveniency to put mine hands to an ordinary action as is evident Luk. 13. 9 5. from our Saviours both doctrine and practice But as abovesaid of discourse so now of business to be needlesly imployed in worldly matters and ordinary work cannot but be some kind of profanation of the day as being contrary to its sanctification that is the spending it to other uses and ends than those for which it was set apart And albeit in this case no certain perpetual rule is to be set the conditions of men being various but each mans Christian discretion and piety ought to mete out to himself what he in his own conscience and in the fear of God considering his occasions judgeth fit in which we are not one to judge another notwithstanding I cannot think that man takes such care of himself as he ought or is duly cautious of indisposing his heart for his duty who can constantly suffer all this time between Morning and Evening service to pass over with him without any thing of devotion either in his privacy or family or just as the same time passeth over every day This I say cannot be to sanctifie the day because not to separate it from common and to use it to distinct ends Soon therefore after dinner ended amongst all the family it is meet that I call the younger sort and set them to the learning their Carechisme and as to
but the recompence of it with many signal blessings recorded in Scripture which recompence God doth not use to give to will-worship Thus we find Anna commended for her continuing in the Temple day and night serving God with Fastings and Prayers And it Luke 2. 36. is observable that fasting is there reckoned as one part of her serving God That blessed vision which led Cornelius to the knowledge of Act. 10. Christ was vouchsafed to him upon a day when he had fasted till about the ninth hour which is with us three a clock and then too we find him not at meat but prayer All which cannot but enforce that though it be not alwaies and indispensibly a duty as is Faith Repentance Charity and such others yet is it as far a duty as any thing can be that is not required absolutely and for it self and that therefore whensoever there is occasion for it and no Christian can be long without due occasions requiring it it is to be performed and being so if it should be performed in manner of a free will offering or oftner than in strictness the Christian might seem to have need of it yet if it be done as it should be it is likely to be acceptable to God But this makes it seasonable to enquire how often a Christian is to fast Chap. IV. How often a Christian is to fast IN answer whereunto it must be said that no certain or constant rule as to all persons can or may be given herein nor will the times of fasting be the same to all some men having more need others less if not need yet opportunity We are assured by the ends to which it serves that many mens particular conditions which haply leave them none other means to mortifie the flesh but this make it a duty very necessary for them to be much in On the other side those who ever feed sparingly and temperately and have an evener constitution less inclined to carnality and inordinate affections than have other men seem to have least need of this taming discipline And those whose labours are daily and hard and whose life is servile many times neither have so much need nor so much opportunity of fasting as have those whose life is easier Yet forasmuch as it is according to what hath been above insinuated a piece of Afflicting a mans soul and so a necessary piece of contrition and repentance which hath commonly somewhat of indignation against a mans self in it there is none who can think himself wholy dispensed with for it or to have no need at all of it But I say every mans conscience and Christian discretion must in the fear of God set to himself the rule how often he is to fast for that every one best knows his own needs and it would be very sinful in some not to use more strict and oftner fastings than others and some on the contrary must be very injurious to themselves should they use so much fasting as others if they duely consider their leisure and condition cannot but think themselves in duty bound to This is the sum of what in general may be positively determined as to all Yet it is worthy our consideration and may be a guide to particular persons to remember First that it is a practice of very great antiquity to fast twice a week and was in use as is evident before our Saviours daies and by him not censured in the Pharisee upon any other account than because he was proud and conceited of it using to reflect upon it in oftentation of his own holiness and scorn of others And it is a very worthy note of St. Chrysostomes that we should onely avoid the Pharisees pride but not neglect his performances as on the other side forsake the Publicans sins but retain his humility I here is also a constitution which although perhaps it pretend to more authority and antiquity than it ought yet must be acknowledged to be ancient and not unreasonable that we should fast Wednesdaies and Fridaies because on the one the Lord was betrayed and on the other crucified and it is beyond controversie Constitute a Clem. Roman collect Lib 5. Cap. 14. that the primitive Christians used to have their solemn assemblies upon those daies not much less constant than upon the Lords daies Secondly that if this course be not alwaies to be used which yet I know not what should hinder except a man want leisure yet at certain seasons as in Lent and Ember weeks the commands and custom of the Church will engage me to as much as this amounts to if not to more And he to whom the commands of our present and continued practice of the Catholick Church in devotionals signifie nothing is surely a man of a strange humourous sanctity Lastly It is out of question that there is no Christian can walk strictly and keep a good conscience towards God and man who hath not Dr. Hâ—mmons Pract. Catech Lio 2. Sect 3. his solemn set daies for the performing that great and weighty duty of humiliation in calling himself to an account for all his waies and confessing his sins more particularly before God and those daies should not be too slow in their returns that is too seldom least his soul should be too deep in arrears that is least there should be such a long score of his sins unrepented of that he think it an infinite and endless work to repent of them and so be loath to come to account at all It is very reasonable therefore for every man and woman of any tolerable leisure to set apart one day in a week for this purpose or if the whole day or any other part of it may not be spared from the business of his calling yet the dinner time that day may be borrowed from eating and thus more usefully imployed without disturbance to the affairs or injury to the health of any ordinary person I do not say that this day ought alwaies to be one and the same it may be one week one day and the next another according as my occasions will best bear nay even after I have appointed it upon unexpected events it may undoubtedly be altered without sin but wholy neglected it cannot be without a sinful omission except upon some urgent or more than ordinary business Chap. V. Of the Preparatory acts for Private Fasting daies THe worship of God is ever best celebrated when some kind of preparation is made for it It will be meet therefore that somewhat I do by way of preparation for my private fasts And one piece of Preparation as well for these daies as for the Lords day it self though indeed somewhat remote or afarre off it will be to be diligent other daies in my calling and well to husband both my time and estate For if he who hath not by his six daies labour made such provision for himself and his as that he may be without care of providing upon
ever take heed what matters here we do I would not choose this as a place of my vainer discourse or freer hours as some do who are ever severest in company and allow themselves liberty in private or amongst their confidents whom if they can but get into such a place where neither mens eye nor ear can reach them as the closet for the main is supposed to be their company shall be vain and srolick to as high a degree almost as any mens I take it and I am greatly deceived if I mistake it for a certain argument that the serious belief of a God and of the World to come is much wanting in his heart who dare be naught idle or sinfully merry if he can but get out of mans sight and cognizance PART II. Treating of Daily Closet-Duties Chap. I. That if I am a person of leisure I ought daily twice in the day to retire into my Closet for devotions sake It followeth now to be considered of my more solemn retirement or entrance into my Closet Now that I account a solemn recourse thither when my businesse there is purely devotion And such recourse is either ordinary or more speciall My ordinary retirement into my Closet should be daily and that if my condition will conveniently admit as most mens may twice a day oftener I may as at noon seldomer I well cannot I am bound thereto upon the same grounds upon which I am bound to pray twice a day and the sum of them is that the command saith Pray continually the meaning of which we cannot but take to be 1 either pray alwaies when you may for other duties that is so much time as thou canst spare from the work of thy calling and due care of thy body and other offices of Charity and Piety spend in that duty of prayer or else 2. parallel to that of the continual burnt Offering which was called Continual because ever continued in its course twice a day Keep a continuall course of prayer morning and evening And this the practices of the Saints in Scripture which we may look upon as Exemplâ—fications of that forenamed command to wit the Practice of David praying Evening Morning and at Noon of Psal 55. 7. Dan. 6. Daniel as many times and none that we read of less than twice cannot but enforce upon us as the least which can be our duty in this case If any think they are excused from private prayer twice a day by their praying twice a day with the Family of which they are a part They are to understand that there is no particular strict command touching the nature of our daily devotions prescribing them to be either publick or private or both but that it is most just and equitable that God should have a liberal part of our time as well as of our estates Dr. Ham Pract. Catech. Lib. 3. sect 2. that therefore if our condition be such that besides the time which we spend in prayer with the Family which no one who would have God to bless his Family can think he may neglect we have convenient leisure from other necessary matters it cannot be better bestowed than in our Closet and upon our Soules And it will questionlesse be a piece of very sinfull vanity to trifle it away and omit what it might so well have been imployed upon According as in matter of my estate if after sufficient necessaries and conveniences provided for my self and Family there do yet remain in my hand a portion of what God hath given me I cannot but look upon it as my duty to supply therewith the necessities of those who want and as my sin for me idly to squander it away which might have fild so many hungry bellies or cloathed so many naked or ragged backs Further God having in joyned me the duty of prayer but left the particular frequency of it after the nature of other freewill offerings to my Christian discretion I ought not to be therefore the more heedless but rather because I know my sacrifice will be ever accepted how often soever brought with an honest heart out of an holy ambition of pleasing God and sending up an odour of a sweet savour unto heaven to bring it as often as I can And surely twice a day I may present even my private devotions If I be single and in my own power there is no question but I may If I be the Master or Mistris of a Family there is little question of it If I be a servant or one who works for my living there is indeed somewhat the more question for that not only I may be straightned in time but want the conveniency of privacy But yet even in this case what hinders but that being I cannot do so well as I would I may do so well as I can to wit rising one piece of an hour ordinarily sooner or lying down so much latter fall down upon my knees by my self at my beds side and privately poure out my confessions and prayers before God And what if my fellow servant be with me Why should I be ashamed to do before him what he cannot but acknowledg he also ought to do shall I not one day much more blush and be confounded at the omission of my duty before Men and Angels and God himself than here at the performance of it And which shame rather to be chosen That before God all Men Angels Devils than this before one or two That which is eternall or this which after I have once or twice despised I shall be troubled with no more Begin to do so and after the first or second time thou wilt never be ashamed of it I assure thee at least thou wilt never repent This then should be my ordinary retirement twice a day Our more special retirement ought to be upon Lords daies Holy-daies and our own private Fast-daies each of which will come hereafter to be considered In the mean time our daily retirement and devotions must be proceeded with Chap. II. Considerations to perswade to daily devotion and prayer in private ANd to the end I may be sure to keep such course as beforesaid let me sit down and seriously weigh First the concernment importance and vast moment of those things which by prayer I am to seek and may obtain above the other upon which most of my time is spent What is it of worldly goods which will not pass away at least as to me and my injoyment of it with my self I dying all dyes with me my estate my honours my friends and all such are no more comfortable to me when death once appears but haply a torment being that they are all now to be left It is therefore but to the end of my threescore years and ten if I should live so long or thereabouts that these can be good at all And of these my threescore years and ten which it is a thousand to one whether ever I reach how
businesse rather than neglect the great ends of my being If on the other side a considerable part of my time were lost and trifled away as I dare say infallibly it will appear upon due account taken is not this a most unreasonable part in me that I can find time to loose and yet no time to pray And further Thirdly it may somewhat quicken me if I consider that though it should be questioned whether it be strictly my duty thus and thus oft to pray because there may seem to be wanting an expresse command yet I cannot but be sensible that it is my duty to pray and to pray often for this there are not wanting commands and that therefore prayer being a duty and well pleasing unto God the more thereof is performed the more acceptable service do I do to God provided prayer thrust not out my other duties The frequency I say can never offend except in the case of neglecting other duties to per. forme it and herein commonly men are not apt to be guilty Suppose it therefore not to offend in this case being that it is a duty it must please and please the more by how much it self is more Now this to ingenuity is no mean incentive unto prayer that hereby I please my God and delight heaven Fourthly Let me consider that as Prayer it self is the most powerfull and effectuall means that a Christian can use for the effecting of all he would so there is no prayer more powerfull than that which is most frequent and importunate In generall as to the power of prayer it is such that it seems to have done violence to omnipotency it self as in the case of Moses when God as though graciously held or restrained bids him lot him alone and in Exo. 32. 10 Isai 45. 2. some causes if duly performed God hath as it were allowed it to command him But what or whose prayers are they which are thus powerfull Surely not theirs who so seldom come to heaven that if it were for nothing else but because they are such strangers they would not speed but theirs rathers whose daily and frequent application of themselves to the throne of grace hath rendred them there well acquainted and favourites We may therefore observe that the most absolute and encouraging promises of being heard are made to the importunnate suitors The widdow in the Luk. 18. parable whom injustice it self could not deny was such and therefore sped because such because she came so often And that precept each gradation of which hath a promise proportionably attemporated and fitted thereunto as it prescribes so chiefly encourageth importunity that is frequency as well as fervenâ—y It is noâ— said onely Aske nor onely Math. 7. 7. Seck but both and Knock besides The last alone viz. Knocking implies frequency and therefore much more do all the three And to the Knocking as being of all the three the clearest denotation or expression of importunity it is promised It shall be opened as if it had been said those who onely aske and seek may come to speed but those who knock those who are oft and and earnest in their prayers shall have the treasures of heaven opened and free to them out of which to take full satisfaction and supply Now because all these things are so therefore can it not be but that the benefit of such practice must be unspeakable which as another and for the present the last incitement unto daily private devotion is worthy my consideration First as to the inward temper of my heart which rightly to dispose and so disposed to keep is a matter of the greatest concernment to an holy life there can be nothing thought of more effectual than such practice nor can it indeed well be conceived how that mans heart can be kept in a thorow sense of his duty and close with God who maintaines not some such daily course of devotion as is under present consideration 1. The maintaining hereof will keep alive in me a continual fear and awfull apprehension of God it will habituate me in all my wayes often to think upon and remember him Now there is nothing the apprehension of which is of more wholesome consequence unto a man than of God and his all-seeing eye One who is sensible and mindfull hereof cannot be long vain but if he do forget himself at any time will soon return to his old seriousnesse 2. Such practice will also much conduce to the keeping of me humble as being sensible of because often minding my sins my sins I say from my youth up to my present years my present years my perpetual pronesse and frequent relapses unto vicious courses These being matter of my daily confessions thoughts and meditations cannot but in some good measure keep under any towring oâ— proud conceits which I am apt to have of my self 3. It will also make and keep mâ— tender affectionate and truly Zealous in my service of God Therâ— will be in me an habitual preparation for all dutyes insomuch that I can no sooner be at them and have engaged my self in them but with â— great deal of vivacity and readinesse of Spirit and with many inward meltings of heart I shall converse in them this being not onely my daily but my frequent practice at least frequent endeavour 4. It must therefore much increase all manner of Christian graces in my Soul inasmuch as grace according as we now speak thereof is nothing else but the due disposition and resolution of the soul which as is evident will be the natural consequent and fruit of such practice Secondly it will have a very wholesome influence upon my life as in all cases else so especially in this that I shall at no time carry on any designe which I dare not bring unto the test of heaven and beg thereon the blessing of the God of Holinesse Lastly the mercies which I receive in my own person in my relations in all my affaires as procured and impetrated from God by these my daily and frequent prayers will be innumerable and that inward comfort and clearnesse of heart with which I shall entertain and receive these mercies or any thing else which comes from the hand of my gracious God inexpressible The same mercies evidenlty are not the same to all men no more than are the same chastisements But to whomsoever mercies are greater mercies or afflictions lesse afflictions it cannot be but that to him who thus conscientiously daily converseth with God all must be most kindly Now the consideration of all which I have thus meditated cannot sure but move me to some measure of diligence in these duties If therefore at any time negligence begin to grow over me it may be of good effect to read over and duly to weigh these or the like motives that I may be quickened to resume and proceed with my proposed course and what that course should be it followes in the next place that I
consult Chap. III. Of the substance of every dayes private devotion To persons of leisure Reading Meditation and Prayer THe private devotion of every day will be different to particular persons according as their conditions differ from such who are servants or lead a servile life I mean all those who get their living by their daily labour whose abilities of mind are therefore meaner and and whose privacy more difficult from such I say no more than this may seem to be expected that both in the morning being risen and at night being about to lye down they in the fear of God fall down before him and pray unto him touching which directions will a non follow From those whose way of life being more liberal their abilities and opportunities are greater more may seem justly to be looked for according to that rule To whom Luk 12. 48. much is given from them shall much be required Speaking therefore to to such who have estates and leisure and so may have opportune privacy â—â—suppose their daily private devotion cannot be compleat except consisting of Reading Meditation and Prayer Touching private Prayer it hath been before spoken and nothing now can by such whom the present consultation concerneth be said for the dispensing with it being it is even their duty who are of meaner qualily and capacity and therefore much more theirs who are of greater Touching Reading and Meditation if any suspicion arise it will easily be removed by those commands which enjoyn us that we Search diligently the Scriptures that John 5. 39 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Coloss 3. 16. the word of God dwell plentifully inus and by such Characters of righteous persons as that they are such whose delight is in the Law of the Lord and who meditate therein day and night And certainly such commands Psai 1. being capable to be intended or remitted I mean being to be construed with some regard and according to that general rule aforementioned to whom much is given from him much shall be required cannot but be interpreted to require greater and more diligent Searching that is more of Reading and Meditating upon Scripture from those who have greater opportunity and ability to do it than they do from others who are meaner in both Of such an one therefore who hath not time every day or if he haply have yet cannot read it may be thought he dischargeth his duty of searching the Scripture if in a way proportionable to his ability he endeavour to acquaint himself with Scripture to wit by a diligent attention to it and inquiring of it ashe hath conveniency when it is read on preached But of such an one who can read and hath time to meditate on what he reads and whom it may be it concerns to instruct others in the knowledg of Scripture as being over them of such an one I say being that more is required than of the other it cannot in reason be thought that he hath done his duty by bare attention unto Scripture read except he himself read and meditate therein And he will very hardly we may not fear to say not at all approve himself to be a Godly man if he behave not himself as Godly men did of old that is if he delight not in the Law of the Lord and therein daily meditate If I should doubt therefore whether it be strictly my duty day and night morning and evening to read the Scriptures and meditate I cannot doubt for I see plain evidence for it that it is a Godly mans Character one part of his practice as he is a Godly man to road and meditate if therefore intend to be a Godly man it must be my care and practice too Wherefore of these three Reading Meditation and Prayer seeing that none may be well omitted at least not ordinarily neglected it is requisite more particular consideration be had Chap. IIII. Of Reading the Holy Scripture The most edifying method and manner of Reading it consulted of BY Reading here I understand reading the sole word of God and this as it should constantly for the main at least if not ever have a place in my daily devotions in private so therein me-thinks will most conveniently take place in the beginning of them on this wise Being entered into my Closet for my devotions sake it becomes me first in all humility and out of the fear of God not out of custome to fall down before him and in short according to former direction to beg his blessing upon me and presence with me there presenting my self to worship before his majesty To which purpose the Form * Part. 1. Chap. 3. already delivered may be proper either for use or further direction according as I shall see sit This being done forthwith let me apply my self to the reading soine portion of the word according to my prefixed course And what course shall that be Modesty would presently answer The same which the wisdome of the Church hath prescribed for publick use And the truth is the Church consulting herein as she ought the edification of the people this order hath in this point the advantage of all other that it will lead us to read over all the most usefull parts of Scripture and those most frequently to wit the New Testament excepting onely some Chapters of the Revelation three times a year the Psalmes once a month the Old Testament excepting onely the two books of Chroni les which are for the most part extant in the Kings and Samuel and some other Chapters of other books cheifly relating to the Jewish state once in a year But then if we consider its complyance with our present designe it hath these two exceptions lying against it First that the portions of Scripture by that order to be read daily are greater than what every mans or most mens conveniency will afford time to read and meditate upon as it is supposed at present best for a devout Christian to do And then Secondly that by this means a considerable part of the Old Testament and some part of the New will be left out which parts are not questionless without their use though comparitively not so necessary for the publick commonalty as the other And to the Churches prescription it may be said that it was never the Churches intention to prescribe this order for mens Closets in private where she can neither take notice of their observing nor neglecting it but onely for publick edification and uniformity This order therefore being taken not to be so proper for our present purpose the next which will offer it self will be the natural order of the books in which they lye Now this though not liable to the exceptions which we found against the former being that nothing then will be omitted nor the Reader over burdened with too great a portion being he is left to himself yet hath this inconveniency that it will detain the observer of it a great while in those
forgetfulness should betray me into the breach of them Sect. 6. An exemplification of the former Rules in two sins NOw to the end that this most necessary practice may be as plain as possible it may haply conduce to set down some particular examples in which those general rules may appear practised And for asmuch as it was before said that all sins of which we shal find our selves frequently guilty are either such which are rooted in our particular complexion and so may especially be called our iniquities or such which by some outward occasion as converse or manner of living we fall into one instance shall be of such a sin which is commonly too too much rooted in mens natures or particular Crases to wit Vncleanness the other in such an one which though haply a man may be naturally inclined to yet commonly may be more truly referred to the head of contracted than of in-born evils and that is Trifling away our time or idleness First then suppose that upon examination of my self one sin where of I find my self guilty is uncleanness and this I find diversly to have run through a great part of my life Touching this certain it is that I repent not of it as I should if I set not my self to root it out Wherefore according unto the rules laid down I thus proceed Being come now so far in my devotions upon my fast day as to Meditation and having in my Meditations chiefly imployed my thoughts upon my self whereby I have found my self guilty of this sin I set upon the repenting of it To that purpose I endeavour to sorrow for it I therefore consider first how grievous a sin that is in it self And in this case it may be that good practical book which I have chosen to my self to read and study may much help me and discover to me the grievousness of it in its own nature This being done I consider how grievous my commission of it is what particular aggravations all my actions of this kind admit Here I open this my book and examine it by those aggravating particulars mentioned All which cordially employing my thoughts upon I endeavour to affect my soul therewith and to work in my self a loathing of such courses This sorrow will work repentance to wit First a resolution against what I loath and then an endeavour against it as well by consulting remedies and means against it as by putting my self into a way of using such means And the result of my Humiliation thus far I as breifly as I can register in mine Accomptal in some such sort as this A. D. Januar. Fasted I found my self guilty of Vncleanness This I considered to be in it self a very grievous sin 1. It defiles my very body makes me loathsome 2. It debaseth and dulls my soul 3. It is that which nature it self is ashamed of 4. God most perfectly hates it and therefore when he expresseth the vilest sins calls them Whoredom 5. It is one of those sins which God seldom suffers to escape unpunished here 6. I shall never be able to like my self or have any inward content in my self while I practice it 7. Perseverance in it will undoubtedly destroy my body and health as well as soul Each of these and more than these as God shall be pleased to assist me in my Meditations I am supposed to have attently considered My particular commissions in this case have the following aggravations They have been done so long 1. Knowingly 2. as I find it with my self 3. Against my vow of baptisme expresly c. Whereupon most humbly begging pardon of God I resolved with all my might to endeavour against it To that purpose I considered of these means against it 1. Spare diet frequent fasting avoiding high meats 2. Spare sleeping not lying down till sleep compel me rising early or at least as soon as sleep leaves me 3. Hard usage of my body lying hard using prostrations or tiring postures in my prayers c. 4. Praying often and much conversing with God in holy duties which will make me ashamed of such carnal delights and sordid injoyments 5. Avoiding light company light discourse gestures looks c. 6. Considering death and that in its pomp and terribleness looking much on Sceletons dead mens sculs bones or contemplating consumptive and gastly visages 7. Not venturing my self on any opportunities or temptations to it These I then resolved to practise and will therefore frequently râ—â—â— over Amen But it may be this is not my sin however it will teach me how to deal in humbling my self for that which is Suppose then I find my self guilty of trifling away my time There is no repenting hereof without amendment But what course may I take to be truly penitent for it The answer is I must proceed as before Meditating Resolving Consulting and by all means confirming my self against it And the result of what I am to register in my accomptal may be thus Such a day Fasted I found my self guilty of trifling away my time I considored the grievousness hereof 1. This is truly idleness what name soever else I give it For idleness is not the doing nothing but the not doing what I should when I should Now idleness is undoubtedly a grievous sin â—â— having not only its own guilt in it but the guilt of many more sins which it occasioneth 2. This is the frustrating the end of my being as far as in me lies a living to no purpose and that how unworthy it is of a reasonable creature 3. I must needs be unprepared for Heaven and my great accounts while guilty hereof Every hour stands on record in Gods omniscience and I cannot it may be give account of three hours in a day 4. How evidently do I ruine my self not onely as to the future but as to this present world hereby What might I do and be were I careful of my time Further for me to do this how grievous is it 1. I know it to be sinful 2. When I have remembred my duties to be undone I have yet neglected them against the present warnings of my conscience 3. How many waies have I been engaged against this So much so worthy work to do and so much of my time already spent c. Easie it is hereby to see how I may proceed according to my particular state These Meditations being finished and as briefly as I can entred it remains that I enter my resolution of endeavour against this sin as before and then study meet remedies thereto Now this sin not being alwaies natural to them in whom it is found but adventitious it concerns me to consider as before admonished how I came to be guilty hereof and to suit my remedies to those occasions 1. It may be I am busied about many things and so either neglect all or what chiefly concerns me my proper duties Perhaps I cannot endure that which should be my business but am fickle desultory and